Speaker of the Peoples’ Assembly Abdul Qader Qaddoura on Tuesday announced Lt. Gen. Bashar al-Assad President of the Syrian Arab Republic for a seven years term. The declaration came during the extraordinary session held by the parliament and transmitted via TV.’’ I declare Lt. Gen. Bashar al-Assad as President of the Syrian Arab Republic for seven years term,’’ Qaddoura said. He noted the new President would take oath on Monday July 17 at eleven AM local time. The Syrian constitution termed the President would start ruling the moment he sworn in

As Mars is slowing down in Libra and is about to station in an exact opposition to Mars in the Aries ingress chart of the GC in 2000 when Assad acceded to power, I thought it would be interesting to (try to) reveal what future has in store for this man (and his country) – especially if we bear in mind that 2014 is an election year in war-torn Syria and currently ongoing Geneva II Middle East peace conference seems pretty unlikely to provide solution for a three year-long conflict (on Friday 24 January 2014, the opposing sides held their first face-to-face talks and it was said that Assad’s position as President is non-negotiable).

Yes, I’m aware the presidential term in Syria lasts for 7 seven years and the elections were held in 2007 as well but that chart is of no importance due to second elections being a mere formality.

As for knowing the quantity of their life-spans from the second division – i.e. from the time of their accession – one looks for it from the ascendant and from the midheaven, and one derives for it the haylag and kadhudah just as one does in nativities. Then one moves the degree of the ascendant for his body, and that of the midheaven for his authority, and the periods of both of them are rotated together. Then, if the prorogation and the period of the two together arrive at misfortune, one judges cutting off of life. If the corruption is of one of them without the other, one should judge from that corruption. If the degree of the ascendant arrives at the malefic, and the misfortune is strong, one should judge cutting off for him. If the misfortune is not strong, one should judge illness for him, if the prorogation from the degree of the midheaven is sound. If the corruption is without the ascendant, one judges the corruption of the government. If the corruption is from the two, one judges cutting off (Abu Ma’shar, On the Great Conjunctions)

The chart of his accession has several striking features, first being the lady of the ascendant’s/hour’s position in Leo in the 11th (Al-Assad meaning “lion” in Arabic and 11th house having ‘hope’ as one of its fundamental significations!) and second the partile, still applying opposition of the Moon to Venus. The Moon governs the 10th (authority/rulership) and disposes Mars, the Sun and Mercury in Cancer in the 10th while translating the light of Jupiter in the 9th WSH/8th by division, lord of the 6th and the 3rd , ‘throwing’ it all on Venus. Mercury governs the 12th and the 9th.

This is a clear picture of an uprising spearheaded by a part of rebellious population (the Moon in Aquarius) which is motivated/sustained by ‘open’ enmity to Assad, both domestic and foreign (Mars is lord of the 7th and Mercury rules the 12th /9th ), religious issues/differences throwing their own considerable weight behind it (Jupiter as a natural ruler of religion but accidentally designating enemies as well by ruling the 6th (both from the ascendant and MC) and located in the 9th WS ruling the 3rd , both of which have to do with religious issues.) Mercury as the lord the 9th signifies the enemies to his authority – Mercury/Jupiter are in mutual reception by domicile/kingdom so the exchange/support between the two is undeniable (enhanced by antiscia). The Sun, natural significator of rulership and Venus’s dispositor applies to Saturn in the 8th without reception, while the grim reaper governs the 4th (end of the matter) the 5th (the ‘death’ of government). Saturn is the Moon’s dispositor as well, another significator for the end of the matter so everything testifies to resulting death/destruction once again. On top of it all, Mars as the 7th house lord is in the 10th in its dejection, portending conflict/war emerging because of his presidency – a very intricate and complex picture presents itself, symbolizing perfectly the state of affairs in Syria since March 2011 to the present day.

There’s one more interesting detail ‘hidden’ in this Moon/Venus opposition. Is it a mere chance that the lesser years of both add up to 33, third part of which is 11, representing the exact number of years when the uprisings began to take an ugly shape of a bloody rebellion aimed at overthrowing ‘the Lion’? Almost the same result is obtained by taking a third part of the sum of the lesser years of the Sun (19) and Mars (15) in the 10th – eleven years and four months.

Of course, there are other very potent indicators which reinforce/confirm the already mentioned. There was a partial solar eclipse on January 4, 2011 which was visible from the entire Middle East. The chart is cast for the moment of maximum obscuration in Damascus

The ruler(s) of the eclipse are a no-brainer. As it occurred in Capricorn, its lord is Saturn in the angle of the 7th in Libra (within three degrees of the ascendant of the accession chart, representing a threat to Assad’s life/body!) while Mars is strongly participating in the angle of the 10th as lord of the ascendant in Aries and the lord of the eclipse by kingdom/decan. Both malefic also dominate the angle of the Mid-heaven, rounding off the picture of a coming insurrections, wars and destruction of government(s), as both benefics are in aversion to the ascendant/in malefic houses, unable to mitigate the harm of the malefics totally controlling the chart with cardinal signs on the angles – a harbinger of sudden, great violent changes coming.

Additionally, the second magnitude Deneb Kaitos is in the degree of the ascendant, adding more of Saturn’s malefic nature, causing self-destruction by brute force, sickness, disgrace, misfortune and compulsory change (Robson)

However, Jupiter in Pisces is also (indirectly) involved as he’s in contra-antiscia to the ascendant degree. He rules the 9th and the 12th and is in the 12th , aptly describing the issue of religious contention/differences/fundamentalism/extremism thrown into the mix; with Venus/Scorpio (as general significators of Islam/Arabs) pushing her management to Jupiter out of the 8th (received by trine and receiving Jupiter in turn by kingdom/triplicity while the third ‘level’ of reception/sympathy is provided by the essentially benefic nature of both stars and the fact that Pisces obey Scorpio, signifying ‘concord and esteem’! ) is it just a coincidence we’re witnessing a widening, growing conflict between the two main branches of Islam going on in Syria (and Iraq) that has the potential of throwing the whole Middle East (and beyond!) into chaos and carnage? Both the houses holding benefics are malefic and signify grief, suffering, affliction, death and destruction.

In 2011 the profected ascendant of the conjunctional chart (i.e. annual revolution of 2000 when Assad acceded the throne) ‘hit’ the 12th in Taurus containing the superiors; this sign also just so happens to be in opposition to Mars in Scorpio on the ascendant of the triplicity shift to earth in 1841

and the ascendant of the annual revolution 1946 when Syria gained its independence

The annual profection of the triplicity shift itself applied to Capricorn, which is the place of the conjunction (and of Mars’s twelfth-part). On top of all that, lord of the big (mundane) fardariyat was Scorpio (2009 – 2014) which is the 7th of the Syria chart containing the Moon [and the Mars of the triplicity shift]. Middle fardariyat belongs to the Sun (in the 12th of the independence chart and disposed by Mars, applying by square to both malefics conjunct in Cancer and the retrograde Jupiter in the 6th by opposition.) The small fardariyat, participating with the middle one, belonged (logically) to Mars – again. (What the mundane Fardars are and how to calculate them you may read in this excellent paper by S. Birchfieldhttp://internationsocietyofclassicalastrologers.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/the-fardc481rc481t-in-mundane-astrology1.pdf )

Syria itself, according to a table of planet-region correspondences from The Search of the Heart andProlemy’s Tetrabiblos belongs to Aries/Scorpio and Marswhereas Damascus belongs to Scorpio and the Sun (On the Great Conjunctions)

But let’s get back to accession chart – the eclipse fell within three degrees of the 4th angle, which of course, opposes the 10th. Mars of the eclipse chart is in an exact opposition to Mars of the accession chart in the 10th. Approximately three and a half months later [just a tiny bit sooner than the position of the eclipse in the mid-heaven would signify, according to theory. However, if one bears in mind that the duration of eclipse is a bit more than three equinoctial hours and every hour signifies a year, the eruption of a full-scale civil war /and world powers’ proxy-war/ i.e. intensification of the effects really did occur a year later, in the middle of the period] the time of “Lion’s trouble” began as transiting Jupiter/Saturn met in the third and last opposition across the degrees of the 1st – 7th house of the accession chart, squaring the degree of the eclipse and the planets in the 10th (government).

But it only started to get really ugly and violent a month later when Mars joined the fight, squaring the eclipse degree, opposing Saturn out of the accession’s 7th at the same time enjoying its heliacal rising which makes him extremely powerful in its significations (it was in April 2011 that the Syrian Army was deployed to quell the uprising and soldiers started battling rebels across the country). The two malefics conjoined on July 31, 2010 at 10:07 in the 1st degree of Libra, which is the WS 1st of the accession chart and of the conjunction itself (the two ascendants being in the same, 15th degree of Libra according to my rectification of the accession chart!); the violent potential which brought detriment to the people/trouble for Assad manifested at the time of their opposition/heliacal rising of Mars, just as the theory postulates.

Further testimonies are found in the yearly profections of the ascendant/mid-heaven degree of the accession chart

2011 brought the ascendant in the 11th house (helpers/supporters of president’s authority, ‘second-in command’/close associates/military. A considerable number of high-ranking [military] officials have deserted him in the course of rebellion) where the lady of the ascendant is posited. LOY is the Sun, in the 10th and conjunct Mars/north node – authority/rulership problems are bound to begin in this year and affect him personally, as previously mentioned factors point in the same direction/prepare the ground for their manifestation to occur. Additionally, Leo is the 6th of the solar return chart(a peregrine solar return Mercury happens to land there, within three degrees of the profected ascendant, ingressing the place of Venus – an accidental malefic from accession chart, as he rules both 12th and the 9th and is in a mutual reception with Jupiter, another accidental malefic ruling the 6th both from the ascendant and from the MC), while the SR ascendant activates the 6th of the accession chart (where the twelfth-parts of Mars/the Moon are located in Pisces). It just so ‘happens’ that the significations of the malefic 6th house are doubly activated that year

Abu Ma’shar,On the indication of the sixth place

We say that, if it happens that the terminal sign of the ascendant of the revolution <of the year> is the sixth <place in the horoscope> of one of the preceding beginnings…it indicates that…the affairs of the riffraff and of the holders of bad professions become strong…the exile of most of the people from their homelands, change, trouble, an abundance of difficulty, immorality, forgeries, the occurrence of envy and accusations, a loss in trading, rebellion against the authorities, the forsaking of obedience, violations, and a large number of prisoners…

The ascendant of the accession chart lands in the solar return’s 8th (fear/terror/anguish of mind). At the same time, the 11th house in Leo is impeded by the square of Saturn from the ‘radical’ 8th. The profected MC/the Sun hand over to Saturn in the 8th (his twelfth-part in lands in the 7th signifying war/enmities) while MC’s under tight square aspect from SR Mercury in the 6th, lord of both SR malefics in the 7th. SR Moon in the 8th (natural ruler of the people and ruler of the accession’s 10th) located almost exactly on accession chart’s ascendant, will be ‘struck’ by Saturn, lord of the coming eclipse in January 2011, to degree! All of these are very salient indicators that Assad’s status/leadership are going to be under attack by a widespread insurrection.

Another interesting point to consider is that the Sun in the 10th as the LOY/the natural significator of authority/rulership/chart luminary is separating from SR Mars and applying to SR Saturn in the 7th SR house by sextile (the Sun is actually under siege just like in accession chart and no planet intervenes to break it!) but the aspect is not perfected before Saturn changes signs and I think that is what saved Assad from fall that year, along with SR Venus (lady of the profected MC) unimpeded i.e. not joined to malefics in the angle of the SR 7th in her own triplicity/bounds, occidental both by quarter and from the Sun, in sect/hayz, direct – though also in her dejection as well. It seems that a major essential debility of a planet is not such an impediment when the majority of other important factors make its condition favorable. Anyway, Abu Ma’shar was of the opinion that not every planet’s dejection was equally bad:

Libri mysteriorum

II181. The reason why some stars in their humiliations offend a lot and other offend little

There are differences in the humiliations of the stars as far as the damage is concerned… as for Venus, it humiliates itself in Virgo, but it agrees with this sign owing to the feminine nature and besides almost everybody knows that Virgo means dancing, singing harmonies, lyres and other musical instruments and the search for marriage, all the things which are typical of Venus. Moreover, Venus has its humiliation in the XXVII degree of Virgo which is not far from Libra, its domicile; we can therefore say that it is similar to a worried and distressed man who briefly goes from distress to cheerfulness and joy.

And last but not least, the testimony of distributors/participators of the primary directed ascendant/mid-heaven for the relevant year. Based on the (postulated) entrance of primary directed MC in the bounds of Saturn on 21 March 2011 (which, according to Persian theory, may be enough to activate Saturn’s sextile ray in it) I think it’s justified to rectify the time of accession to 11:02:10 [this is entirely plausible as an oath had to be taken first requiring a couple of minutes]

An intriguing picture emerges. Mid-heaven has been running in the rays of the Sun (conjunct Mars) since April 3, 2010 and is handing over to Saturn in Saturn’s bounds (malefic handing over to malefic in the bounds of malefic – the worst possible combination!) – isn’t that telling (almost) the same story as the profected Sun/MC handing over to Saturn and the Sun being besieged between the malefics in the accession/SR chart?

Abu Ma’sharIf the lord of the term of the full or new Moon occurring before the beginning of the year of the conjunction, and before a revolution of one of the years…is a malefic, this indicates the rising up against kings of rebels and their (the kings’) opponents in future times

Both the full Moon prior to his accession and the one occurring prior to Aries ingress 2000 were in the bounds of the greater malefic – Saturn!

Indicators pertaining to Aries ingress chart of the year in which acceder accedes

If the lord of the 7th place from Saturn is in a strong position and the planets push management to it, it indicates a large number of people rebelling against him, fighting against him (and defeating him?) together with their gathering in great numbers, their enticing of most of the supporters of the acceder and fear of his death for that reason

Lord of the 7th place from Saturn (Scorpio) is Mars. He is in his domicile of Aries in the strong 11th but he’s also occidental and at the end of the sign. Only one planet will push its management to it – the Moon, by opposition without reception. Though they have been gathering in great numbers, they haven’t managed to entice most of his supporters and are currently definitely way too weak to defeat him. In fact, different extremist groups have recently started fighting fiercely among themselves, which is a fitting manifestation of the Moon/Mars opposition – they are actually losing the war for the time being.

If one wants to know what kind of condition and nature he has…then one should look at the lord of the first lot, i.e. of Saturn. If the lord of its house applies to it otherwise than from opposition, this indicates the goodness of the obedience of the subjects toward him. If the lord of the house of Saturn is in conjunction with it, this indicates his power over his subjects and his victory over his enemies.

Well, he would have surely succumbed by now if the support weren’t there. His fall was declared ‘imminent’ several times in the last three years by the inimical (mainly western) media, but it never happened. In the Aries ingress chart of 2000, Saturn is peregrine and occidental in the malefic 12th house. But he’s offered a tremendous amount of help – its lady, Venus, is applying by sextile (having the strength of a trine, according to Paulus because Taurus /Pisces is one of the commanding/obeying pairs of signs!) from Pisces in the 10th and is receiving him! Being essentially dignified by kingdom/triplicity/bound and angular, she’s both ‘pushing power’ onto peregrine Saturn and mitigating his aversion to the ascendant, making him both essentially/accidentally much stronger than he would otherwise be.

If Jupiter aspects Saturn it indicates…the weakness of rebels and his victory over them, especially if Saturn is unstained in his house.If Jupiter applies to Saturn, he overcomes them, especially if it is in its house and unstained [Saturn’s condition is very much improved by its lady Venus, as I’ve already explained]

It is necessary also to look at the 10th place from the ascendant and from the Sun. If it is in a fixed sign and the benefics are situated in them, this indicates his good fortune, and the large amount of his superiority and might. If the planets are in those two positions in their exaltations, or are eastern, or in their hayyiz, or in a northern latitude increasing in motion this is best for that. If the lord of the 4th or 7th place is in the ascendant is in the ascendant or midheaven, this indicates the obedience of his enemies toward him.

No planet is in the 10th place from the Sun. Benefic, eastern Venus in her kingdom is in the 10th from the ascendant testifying that ‘the Lion’ has proven a too tough nut to crack for three years. Mercury, lord of the 4th, is in the 10th – we may see the rebels ‘bowing down’ to him (at least temporarily), giving up on their goal of overthrowing him, since they are becoming a danger for the entire Middle East and beyond as a hotbed of terrorism.

As for the triplicities in which the conjunction indicating the lengthiness of lives of kings occurs, they are the triplicities in which Saturn has a witness. If the conjunction is in Taurus at his accession, this indicates a period of one conjunction. If in addition, the Moon and Venus are good in their places, this increases those life spans. If Saturn is in one of the houses of the inferior planets and they aspect it, and it is received, it indicates the lengthiness of their life spans.

Venus is good in her place, strengthening Saturn by reception but the Moon isn’t as she’s separating from opposition with the Sun and will perfect her opposition with Mars without reception while both benefics are in aversion and unable to mitigate the harm. Could it be that Assad stays the entire 3rd term as the president of Syria? According to the above quote, one shouldn’t discard the possibility – though it may seem pretty unlikely from the current perspective.

Discovering the knowledge of the length of their periods is divided in its consideration into two divisions: the first is from the revolutions if the years of the world and the conjunctions, the second, from their accession. As for the consideration from the revolutions of the years of the world and the conjunctions, one looks at the revolution of the world-year in which the acceder accedes, then one looks at Saturn. Knowing that time is found from the amount of its movement in its sign and the remaining amount, each degree being taken for a year, each 5 minutes for a month and each 12 seconds for a day.

According to this method, Assad’s rulership could last for 15 years, 9.5 months as Saturn has 15 degrees 47 minutes to go before leaving Taurus. The contrary to sect Mars in the 10th of the accession chart is activated in accordance to its lesser years – 15, which is another concurrent testimony. At the same time, the profected ascendand/midheaven of the accession chart both come under his attack in the SR 2015/2016 – ascendant in the 4th in Capricorn (end of the matter, which is SR 8th !) by opposition and the midheaven in Libra in the 1st by square; he returns in Cancer right on the midheaven of the accession.

On 21 February 2013 the primary directed midheaven finally encountered the sextile ray of Saturn and has been running under that double ‘burden’ of the greater malefic ever since.

The primary directed ascendant is currently in the bounds of Venus (February 5 2008 – June 15 2016) with the Sun [conjunct Mars/north node] participating (by square) since December 19, 2012.

Abu Ma’shar’s On the Revolutions of the Years of Nativities (translated and edited by Benjamin N. Dykes)

The distributor provides the fundamental tone and character of the period and what the various events eventually get resolved into whereas the partner shows more temporary circumstances as well as particular situations/types of people one encounters. The distributor indicates any fundamental problems during the period and of what type they are; the partner indicates the source of the problems, especially if it is in a bad condition.

The state of participator is highly problematic and has been causing trouble (to put it mildly!) in perfect accordance to its universal/accidental significations, diminishing the overall benevolent influence of the distributing benefic Venus. However, Assad health/life/position has been spared so far as could be expected from a benevolent fixed Venus in a good/strong 11th of the accession chart. Could it be this about to change in the near future?

Transiting Mars as a contrary to sect malefic has just entered the bounds of Venus, moving very slowly on the way to its first station in the 28th degree of Libra (within three degrees of the primary directed ascendant, squaring mid-heaven of the accession chart even more exactly!) on March 2 2014 reinforcing Mars’s influence as the planet joined to the participator, the Sun. As I’ve already pointed out in the beginning of this text, the position of Mars’s station happens to be the exact opposite of the one taken up by Mars in the chart of Aries ingress of 2000, the year of great conjunction in Taurus when Assad acceded the ‘throne’.

When Mars wavers [stationary, especially in its first station] in the sign of the religion of a people, or in its opposition, and that year is near to the completion of the period of the acceder, his ruin is in that year.

Libra (also) happens to be the ascendant of the triplicity shift in 571 AD which announced the new religion, Islam. In fact, the chart provided by Abu Ma’shar shows the ascendant in the 28th degree of Libra, where Mars stations! At the same time, in the Aries ingress chart of 2014, Mars is retrograde in Libra in the 1st, in the bounds of the primary directed ascendant of the accession chart – the ‘crisis’ occurs pretty close to the projected number of his years in power and might prove dangerous.

Could it represent some serious threat to his health/body/life as far as ascendant is concerned – could it be he gets wounded, even killed? Or ‘just’ gets sick, undergoes surgery, etc? From the point of view of the mid-heaven, a possibility of being violently overthrown by treachery, imprisoned? Will he manage to get re-elected this year? Let’s see what the other important indicators have to say in this regard – SR chart for the current year, profections of both relevant points, along with further indicators found in Aries ingress 2014.

The place of distribution of the ascendant is in SR WS 12th which is not good and hints at some kind of trouble, possibly isolation too but it is also not oppressed by any malefic in the SR chart – neither by location nor by aspect. Quite the opposite – the unimpeded Venus, lady of the distribution, is aspecting her bound from a fixed sign of Leo, which is WS 10th/9th by division and 10th from the profected ascendant. These are important testimonies in favor of his safety in matters of body/health and stability. The participating Sun is in the 9th (joy) unimpeded by the SR malefics as well.

The profected ascendant is in Scorpio this year, making Mars LOY (SR ascendant is in Scorpio as well). Mars is in the sign of its dejection in Cancer, the same as in the chart of accession, but now his condition is much alleviated/improved as he’s also out of the Sun-beams, oriental/fast, in his own bounds (considerably more resources to act in accordance with its own ‘will’ than triplicity alone can provide) and most importantly, received by his dignified kingdom lord, Jupiter by conjunction within a three-degree orb and within the bounds of the same planet – this is the most intimate, strongest possible bond two planets can share (R.Schmidt) Jupiter is very powerful as his heliacal rising phase occurred within seven days prior to the date, is in its sect and fast. This is an excellent indicator for Assad in terms of his personal safety and his standing in the coming elections, as Jupiter should provide help, support and even a decent amount of ‘popularity’ despite the awful situation in his country. The same is testified by the SR north node on the profected ascendant. ‘Spoiling the fun’ is Saturn’s opposition aspect thrown into Scorpio (while Jupiter is in aversion from Gemini) and the position of the SR Moon/Saturn in it, while Saturn will also station there at the beginning of March – fear of death/danger are still present. But since Mars as dispostor is in a rather ‘decent’ overall condition and SR Venus/Sun as natural benefics closely aspect the SR ascendant by square/trine, these testimonies seem to point out he’s relatively safe – at least till July.

Now to the mid-heaven. The place of its distribution in Cancer is cadent in the SR 9th, but is again unimpeded by the SR malefics, which is good. The distributor/participator Saturn is peregrine and cadent in Scorpio, occidental and in a sign of contrary sect but his ‘strengths’ are direct motion after second station (things go ‘forward’ again, slowly but surely!) he’s in sect/in a fixed sign and in his halb, in the oriental/masculine quarter of the chart while his benefic sect-mate Jupiter is in a partile trine to it, pushing his own (great) essential/accidental power by a harmonious, benevolent trine (a kind of milder reception). No doubt, Saturn is greatly (and also unexpectedly) helped by Jupiter as well – unexpectedly, because these two are in aversion in the accession chart and hence do not represent a previously existing relationship/support; the bond is of transitory nature and limited to this solar year only. Nevertheless, it looks reasonably well for his authority/presidency, which is why I think he may even get re-elected for another 7-years term or at least won’t be violently overthrown if he happens to lose the elections up to July 17.

The profected MC/the Sun land in Leo in the beneficial 11th , where both ‘natal’/SR Venus happen to be in SR 10th WS/9th by division and the 10th from the profected ascendant – these are very good indicators. The profected lord of the mid-heaven is the Sun unimpeded by any SR malefic (but impeded by Mars in the accession chart!) in the house of its joy, in SR/profected 9th trining the SR ascendant. But yet again, Saturn from the accession’s 8th throws a square aspect into Leo and casts a shadow onto an otherwise decently looking indicators pertaining to Assad’s rulership/authority for this solar year.

When the period in which one fears for the accede draws near, it is necessary that you rotate the years for him to know what kind of condition he has in them, looking in the revolutions by day, at the Sun (if it is by night, look at the Moon) at the lot of elevation and victory and prosperity – which is taken by day from the degree of the lot of absence to Jupiter and by night the opposite, and cast out from the ascendant – and at the lord of the term of the midheaven. Whichever of these is in a cardine or in a laudable and strong position, is the indicator of the acceder in that year. If it is free from misfortune and harm, especially coming from the lord of its 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 12th places, this indicates his safety in that year. If the malefics are cadent, especially under the earth, his enemies’ command changes to weakness and lowness.

In the SR chart 2013-2014, the term lord of the midheaven is Mercury and the lot of elevation, victory and prosperity is located in Libra in the 23rd degree. The Sun is in the 9th house. Mercury is still under the beams and retrograde (though near its second station within 7days!) cadent by WS/in the 8th by division and joined to a planet in its own dejection (the Moon, which happens to be its dispositor), dignified by term/decan in Cancer. The Sun is in the house of its joy, but feminine both by quadrant/ sign and peregrine; the Moon as its lord is afflicted both by cadency/ dejection and by its position on the north node. The lot is cadent in the bad WS 12th but is in a beneficial, strong 11th by division, closely aspected by its term/domicile lady Venus from the WS 10th/9th by division. Of all the candidates, I judge the lot/its lord to be in the most laudable condition. It is unimpeded by either of the lords of the bad houses relative to its position – another testimony for Assad’s safety till July 17 this year.

However, the Aries ingress chart for the first quarter of 2014 is pretty problematic in its overall indications for the region as cardinal Libra on the ascendant necessitates 4 separate charts for every quarter of the year and Mars is in the 1st house in both the spring and the summer quarters (while the winter quarter, amazingly, again displays Libra ascendant!) In itself, this is an (almost) certain testimony (by repetition) to a very volatile, unstable year likely to produce some sudden changes/new conflicts – unlike the current one with fixed Leo on the ascendant, which has signified a year of relative stability to Syrian government; the threat of foreign intervention in September 2013 was averted with the help of his most powerful ally Russia as the greatest danger that may have happened. But potentially the most dangerous indication pertaining to Assad, to reiterate, is Mars retrograde in Libra in the 1st, in the bounds of the primary directed ascendant of the accession chart; lord of the midheaven, the Moon, is in its dejection in Scorpio and applying to a retrograde Saturn under the earth. Spring quarter is likely to bring renewed western pressure on Assad to ‘abandon his post’, along with fresh offensive(s) by the rebels/increased fighting. However, Jupiter is testifying from the WS 10th (probably) preventing the ultimate harm to his life/well being in the spring quarter.

The threat is further reinforced by the already mentioned repetition in the Cancer ingress of 2014

Mars on the ascendant in Libra is almost exactly on the ascendant of the accession chart. Generally, the violent/destructive potential ‘promised’ in the year’s ‘root’ chart of the spring quarter is very likely to manifest in full during the summer quarter in the Middle East, especially if one bears in mind that the ascendant of the Aries ingress prior to Israel’s independence in 1948 is also in this degree and the yearly profection reaches the 7th in Aries, containing Mars in ingress chart of 2000. Israel is very likely to /limitedly?/ intervene in Syria to avert the danger to its northern borders posed by amassing terrorists bent on its destruction and probably finally in Iran too. As wars/hostilities are likely to occur in the years when the superiors are in square/opposition, preferably in angles of the ascendant/the Sun (and they tend to start when the superiors become retrograde/direct) as well as when Jupiter enters the sign of its exaltation, all these conditions are met in the charts of the spring/summer quarters.

Additionally, the annual profection of the already mentioned triplicity shift of 1841 arrives to Aries (square to the conjunction itself and conjunct Mars of the conjunction in 2000) while the annual profection of the preceding conjunction in Taurus lands in Leo, sqauring both the preceding conjunction and Mars of the triplicity shift; Saturn stations in Scorpio tightly opposing the degree of the conjunction in Taurus – perhaps the most potent indicators of the hostilities flaring up to a wholly new level of scope/destruction.

According to Abu Ma’shar, when the shift occurs in the earthy triplicity, it indicates power of the western people (!!!) Capricorn carrying the strongest significations. The time of the appearance of the indication(s) in the case of earthy triplicity is either four or eight conjunctions after the shift. Now if one remebers that Mars is on the ascendant of the shift (chart for Jerusalem “the epicenter”) while the superiors conjoin in the 3rd which along with the 9th indicates the birth of a ‘new religion’ in the west (“democracy”), it is easy to see why 80 years after the shift the world was in crisis symbolized by the great economic depression (an earth sign!) ushering in the birth/rise of totalitarian ideology (fascism) leding ultimately to the WW II – the great battle of ideologies i.e. secular “religions”,which began at the very end of the twenty-year period marked by the fourth conjunction after the shift.

Isn’t it astonishing that 8 conjunctions after the shift i.e. 160 years later, the (western) world is in the middle of another deep economic crisis, with ideological/religious gaps between the east/west getting wider, bigger by the day. Thus the WW 3 is bound to happen before 2020 and it will start in the Middle East (Mars of the triplicity shift on the ascendant for Jerusalem/Damascus, the region of current upheaval; it may be argued the opening shots of the WW 3 have already been fired in Syria because the last conjunction in earthy triplicity occurred in the ascendant of that country ) resulting in the considerable (perhaps even total) loss of power of the ‘west’. The Moon/Mars opposition without reception perfecting at the end of their respective cardinal signs (sudden ‘change’) also seems to testify the same, denoting war toward the end of the 20 year period. With the shift to airy triplicity in Aquarius (the ‘strongest’ of the airy signs) in 2020, the power/dominance will also be transferred to the people of northern region(s) – Russia/China?

Mars will be stationary direct on May 21, so this could prove a dangerous period for the peace in the region – apart from his turning retrograde in the beginning of March (along with Saturn!) in the angle of the 4th of the current ingress. As if all this weren’t enough, the lot of war/battle (taken day/night from Mars to the Moon and cast out from the Sun of annual revolution) is in the 23rd degree of Aries in the 7th, opposed by its lord Mars in detriment in the 1st, in a human, airy sign of Libra. The fighting is likely to take a turn for the worse i.e. expand in scope and intensity, involving the substantial use of air-force and missiles.

The SR chart 2014 – 2015

brings even more threatening indicators for Assad (because of the overlapping indicators, especially in the period July 17 – September 23) since SR Mars is in the terms of the ascendant’s distribution (within three degrees) in the mundane 8th. Though Venus aspects Mars by trine she is separating and I’m having doubts if this can prove a life saving influence in the event of an attempt on his life. The Sun from the SR 6th is in a partile, still applying square to that Mars without reception which is a very dangerous indicator for his authority. But theoretically, as the SR chart is nocturnal, the Moon should be given preeminence in examining the indicators of his safety in that year. Still, the Sun/Mars square looks really threatening when one bear in mind its ‘natal’ significations.

The Moon is peregrine in cardinal Aries and under the earth at night, approaching the south node in the WS 3rd/2nd by division and will apply to the cadent Sun with a strong mutual reception and the Sun further applies to Mars (the Moon’s dispositor in detriment) without reception which is very bad as far as the result of the Moon’s disposition is concerned. The term lord of the midheaven in Sagittarius is Jupiter, in the WS 7th/6th by division in his own triplicity/terms but has already entered combustion and is therefore discarded. The lot of elevation, victory and prosperity is in the 24the degree of a fixed Taurus in the WS 4th/3rd by division with its lady Venus in aversion to it from Gemini in the 5th. It is sextile the Sun and opposed by Saturn. A considerably tougher call this time between the chart luminary and the lot, but I give it to the lot/its ruler again. The lords of the 6th, 7th , 8th and 12th from its position are not afflicting it, but the Sun as the lord of the WS 4th is closely aspecting, albeit by a harmonious sextile, indicating by itself probably some rather bearable affliction/disturbance. Saturn/Mars are both above the earth, with Saturn in the WS 10th which should indicate the renewed strengthening/consolidation of the rebels and their command – compared to the previous year. All in all, a more dangerous/unstable year lies ahead.

As Jupiter is lord of the profected ascendant in the SR 10th, its combustion in the WS 7th/6th by division looks even more ominous. Additionally, SR Venus as the lady of the accession’s ascendant/its distribution signifying Assad’s body/life is exactly on a 1st magnitude fixed star Betelgeuze (Mars/Mercury) which is a potential ‘cutter’ (Kusyar ibn Labban, Introduction to Astrology) at the very end of her current sign, potentially symbolizing a fundamental ‘change’ in his condition.

On July 12, there’s a full Moon in Capricorn in the 21st degree, opposing Mars in the chart of the accession partilly. A potential ‘trigger’ for the loss of authority, or even worse?

Sahl bin Bishr, On QuestionsAnd look at the hour of his entrance into the seat of his kingdom, provided that he did sit in the seat of his empire and undertook to rule and protect it. If his entrance was in the day…and if the malefic aspected the Sun, and the malefic were Mars and he were exalted above the Sun from the midheaven, and the Sun were in the ascendant in a movable sign, some one of the citizens of that kingdom will be turned against him who often terrifies him; or his end will be by means of death and killing. [The Sun is joined to Mars in a movable sign in the midheaven which amounts to pretty much the same]

After this look at the sign of the midheaven and its lord to see where he is and who aspects it and the lord of the midheaven…which if indeed the malefic were in the same place [the midheaven]he will find great difficulties in that work, and whatever he earned will be taken away from him through martyrdom and being bound up, and by being deposed in the anger of his king. And if a benefic aspected the midheaven and there were not a malefic in the same place, the work will be an advantage and good. [Both benefics are in aversion to the midheaven, so the work will not be an advantage/good. Could Assad somehow end up making his biggest/strongest allies Russia&Iran angry to the extent they speed up/cause his end? Hard to imagine, but time will tell. It makes the most sense to see it as a ruler being ‘deposed’ by someone much more powerful/influential than him – both militarily and politically]

Indeed if there were malefic in the same place [the 4th], he will find evil and impediment after he is deposited from the work, with prison and martyrdom and punishment and in extended imprisonment. Indeed if a benefic did not aspect the malefic which was in the 4th, he will be conquered and undergo punishments, and he will die in that same prison. But if the lord of the 4th were in the ascendant or in the 10th or in the rest of the optimal places, cleansed of the malefic, and likewise the lord of the domicile of the Moon, it signifies the good end of the work. [The Moon’s domicile lord is Saturn which also happens to be the lord of the 4th. Since he’s peregrine in the malefic 8th, a house wholly corresponding to his natural significations according to the Chaldean order of the planets, this is pretty unlikely to signify the ‘good end of the work’ – to the contrary. Though no malefic is in the 4th, they aspect the place – Mars/Mercury by opposition, Saturn by trine – while both benefics are in aversion.]

In the revolution of the year when the acceder accedes…if Mars is with the Sun or the Sun is in the second sign from Mars and the Sun is raised over it [when Mars and the Sun are in the same , or nearby signs, the Sun is said to be ‘raised over Mars’ /“falling over Mars” in Latin/ if it is in fewer degrees and vice versa; the Sun may be in the second sign from /i.e. in front of/ Mars, Mars may be in the 11th or 12th sign from /i.e. behind/ the Sun] or Mars is in the 11th or the 12th sign from the Sun, and Mars is raised over it, it is an indication of his being killed, and after it there is a riot in his house.

To cut the long story short – in the months/SR year ahead, it appears Assad enters a pretty rough period which may bring several crises endangering both his life and government. The first may occur at the end of February/beginning of March; the indication is reinforced by the progressed degree of the annual profection (one degree = 12.1667 days) reaching from 15th degree of Scorpio – 15th degree of Sagittarius this year. It has been running under the opposition from Saturn since the beginning of January and will remain under his malign influence till the beginning of March. The second is likely to manifest July 17 – 23rd September, overlapping with the period when monthly profection of the ascendant activates Mars of the SR chart 2014/2015 (14 August – 11 September it arrives in Capricorn /kingdom of Mars/), opposed by ‘natal’ Mars and squared by solar Mars in Libra located in the bound of the distribution in the mundane 8th. At the same time, the monthly profected midheaven meets SR Mars in Libra as well. Another one is 6 November – 4 December when monthly profection arrives in Aries and then the monthly profection in Libra 24 April – 22 May 2015. 2015/2016 as already stated, is the year most likely to brings his political/personal ruin – if he manages to master the crises till then.

Abu Ma’shar As for how to know the week day on which their disaster occurs, it is found from the position of the Moon at the revolution of the year in which the acceder accedes, and its location among the signs. For, wherever it is in them, he meets disaster on the day of the lord of the sign in which it is. If the Moon has a mixture with the lord of its place, it is surest and most true in its indication, especially if it is the house of a planet agreeing with it.

In the revolution of the year 2000, the Moon was in Libra, its lord Venus in Pisces. Though the Moon doesn’t have “mixture” with Venus due to aversion between these signs, the same is mitigated because this pair is of equal daylight/agreeing in strength and power – or simply put, they are antiscia signs. And Venus ‘agrees’ with the Moon because they are nocturnal sect-mates.

Whenever it may occur, some Friday is likely to be the day of reckoning for Al-Assad, the Lion of Damascus.